Mary is amazed by how happy the students seem, especially given their disabilities. She feels that the greenhouse staff probably gets even more out of their visits than the students themselves do. Certainly Mary and Maurene have both developed a warm relationship with Monica, an 18 year old student from the Phillipines who is unusual, even at Perkins, in that she is completely deaf and blind. She is also unusual in that she is unafraid of her environment and full of curiousity and questioning.

Christa Gicklhorn coordinates the Perkins work experience program and mediates between Monica and those around her. They communicate through touch; as Christa signs, Monica reads her motions by holding onto her hands. After finishing her work at the greenhouse, Monica talks to Mary again; holding her hands she asks where Maurene is. "Oh, I know what she wants!" Maurene laughs and walks over to Monica who takes her hands and places them on Mary's hands. Mary and Maurene aren't sure why Monica joins all their hands like this, but its become a regular ritual. All three of them are laughing and smiling, Monica clearly loving the game.

Along with the difficult emotions, the therapeutic element of the greenhouse also brings Mary and Maurene real satisfaction, especially when the students from the Perkins School visit. For the past 22 years, the Mt. Auburn greenhouse has worked with deaf and blind students from the Watertown campus of Perkins who are learning basic job skills while earning a high school diploma. A small group helps out at the greenhouse once a week doing whatever needs to be done; jobs such as filling pots with soil, or folding and stapling boxes for plants. The greenhouse is a favorite of Perkins students for the tactile nature of the work.
[Mary talks to Christa Gicklhorn, coordinator of the work experience program for deaf-blind students at the Perkins School, as Monica (middle) signs her greetings to Mary.]
[Christa shows Melissa, 21, (who is partially deaf and blind) how to staple together boxes to be used later for holding plants sold for Memorial Day.]
[Monica places Mary and Maurene's hands together in a moment that has become a regular ritual when she visits the greenhouse.]
[Christa explains to Monica, 18, through sign language, how to fold the boxes. Since she is completely deaf and blind, Monica must touch Christa's hands while she signs.]